2025 PREVIEWS: The only way is up for Runcorn skipper Maher

Kieran Maher has cast the net wide – and not so wide – in the hope of helping Runcorn climb the table.

After finishing rock bottom of the Cheshire County Cricket League, the side were only spared relegation because Kingsley had to be demoted for dropping their 2nd XI.

It means Maher knows the only way is up as he takes over the captaincy from Will Magee.

He said: “What started off at the end of last season with a bit of ‘oh God, we don’t know what’s going to happen next year’ has turned into everyone being really excited about the start of the season.

“We’ve had really good winter nets, we’ve had loads of people at training, so things are looking quite good for us.

“We shouldn’t have even been in the league, so anything is a bonus. I think we’re in a position to push a bit further and finish higher up the table that we thought we could.”

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Maher is welcoming three key arrivals ahead of the start of the season.

One of them is from Pakistan – all-rounder Nauman Akram, who played for Parkfield Liscard in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition last year.

But another is from a little closer to home – his own dad, Neil Maher, formerly of Moorfield in the Comp and tempted out of retirement by the prospect of being bossed around by his own son.

Ex-Rainhill man Matty Connolly also joins from Whitefield, to bolster the top order.

Maher Jnr said: “I’ve known Matty since I was a kid and we’ve played a lot of cricket together. He’s really settled in well so far.

“We’ve played against Nauman when he was at Cheadle and we know personally how good he is. He’ll open the bowling and bat in the middle order.

“And my dad’s decided to give it another crack. He was a really good cricketer in his younger days. 

“We’ve got quite a young team so he’ll balance that out as a slightly older head.”

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Maher is hoping for a more enjoyable season than last year’s struggle.

He added: “We’ve got a really strong batting line-up – our 11 should be batting at seven or eight – so we want to be posting big totals then backing it up with the bowling attack.

“Ideally I’d like us to be finishing mid-table. 

“We’re not looking at promotion yet because it’s been a transitional year for us – we also want to enjoy our cricket, because it wasn’t a lot of fun last year.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/aXso0hI